GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (June 29, 2014) — The woman who was hired to watch over nearly 40 dogs inside a home in Grand Rapids is responding to neighbors telling FOX 17 that the animals have been removed from the home.
The woman who owns the dogs has claimed she rescues sick dogs and also runs a grooming service, but neighbors said that the number of dogs inside got out of control.
“This was a hoarding situation and it wrecked me. I mean I’ve been worried about these dogs since November,” said Renee Miles.
Renee Miles said that after caring for Kimberly Savino`s dozens of dogs, she made it her mission to have the dogs taken out of her northeast Grand Rapids home.
Neighbors tell FOX17 that Kent County Animal Control officers removed the nearly 40 dogs this week.
Miles said that she passed out flyers in the neighborhood to encourage the community to contact the city of Grand Rapids so that they change it`s animal ordinance.
“Currently Granville, East Grand Rapids, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and Walker all have ordinances. Grand Rapids does not, so I just think that it probably is easier for something like this to get out of control,” said Miles.
Miles said that she believes Savino thinks that she is helping the dogs, but instead created an unhealthy environment.
“There were 36 dogs that just wanted to be held. They just wanted to be petted. Like I said, I wasn’t welcome to sit around. I was being paid to maybe $15 bucks or so a trip to come in and it was unmanageable,” said Miles.
Miles said that she hopes the animals never return to the home, and that they get the proper care that they deserve.
“I’m so relieved. Thank you. Thank you Kent County. I’ve been posting it all over Facebook and I’m like, thank you Kent County. You did the right thing. I wish it hadn’t taken six months, but it happened,” said Miles.
Kimberly Savino denied our request to speak with us for this story.
